MULTAN-PTI Vice chairman Makhdoom Shah Mehmood Qureshi has demanded PML-N Quaid Nawaz Sharif to either withdraw his statement regarding national institutions or get back party ticket from its candidate for PP-219 Rana Iqbal Siraj.
Addressing a news conference here, Qureshi said that Rana Iqbal Siraj had contradicted Nawaz Sharif's statement and admitted his fertilizer warehouse was raided by a team of the Agriculture Department. He said that Nawaz Sharif's statement was weird which disrespected national institutions. "National level leaders of Pakistan should not give statements against national security. Nawaz Sharif's narrative is similar to that of India," he maintained. He said that water crisis also took place besides power during Nawaz regime. He said that Nawaz League's policies made the country bankrupt which forced caretaker government to increase petroleum prices.
He claimed that the candidates preferred to contest election independently than on PML-N ticket, adding that many candidates returned their tickets to the party. He further claimed that Manzoor Wattoo also declined PML-N offer for ticket.
He went on to criticize Nawaz Sharif and said that he accused institutions and establishment in his every statement that he issued after Panama Case. "But he has failed to produce any evidence before the court to prove him innocent so far," he maintained. He said that Nawaz Sharif gave statement against institutions without any verification after raid on godown of Rana Iqbal Siraj. He said that the establishment had nothing to do with the ones who returned the PML-N tickets.
He praised Jamshed Dasti for what he described as his strong role against government as opposition. "He faced torture and went to jail but did not bow down against oppression," he pointed out. He said that it was his strong desire that seat adjustment should be done.
He said that PTI district president Ijaz Janjua and city president Khalid Khakwani are precious assets to the party and they would be given their due status after coming into power. He claimed that all those who had applied for PTI tickets had taken oath that they would accept party decision and would not quit the party. Citing examples, he said that Rana Abdul Jabbar and Qurban Fatima were also candidates from their constituencies but they withdrew their nomination papers. He said that the PTI received over four thousand applications for tickets and it would have granted as many tickets if it had same number of seats. He claimed that the PTI had reconciled with the workers who staged sit-in. He asked the workers to come out of their homes on July 25 and vote for bat to bring PTI into power with majority. "Chairman Imran Khan has made it quite clear that if we failed to get majority we would prefer to sit-in opposition instead of forming coalition government with PML-N or PPP," he declared. He said that Benazir Bhutto had committed a mistake in 1985 by boycotting election and now if N-League is willing to replicate that foolish act it should not waste time.
To a query, he said that the PTI would construct Kalabagh Dam with national consensus after coming into power. He said that Kalabagh Dam could not be built due to flawed policies of the rulers in the past. He said that the water scarcity pointed out by the Chief Justice is a technical issue.
Answering another question, he said that the PTI never talked of dividing Sindh, Karachi province, Hazara or Pothohar but Saraiki province is part of its manifesto. He said that the PTI would end corruption from the country. "I request Imran Khan to start the cleanup operation for ending corruption from PTI," he demanded.
Later on, PML-N leader and member of Gillani family Makhdoom Rajan Bakhsh announced joining PTI along with his supporters.